The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in the Diocese of Cubao marked 70 years since its establishment as a parish on July 15.
During its anniversary, the parish, which is the seat of the Bishop of Cubao, vowed to “continue reaching out to the people” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On the same day, the cathedral reopened its doors for the public celebration of the Holy Mass.
“There are many things we do not understand about this crisis, many things we do not know about the future,” said Father Dennis Soriano, rector and parish priest of the cathedral.
The priest said that despite the uncertainties, the parish community “continues to deliver hope” and “help each other grow in a life of serious prayer.”
“What is 70 years if we fail to say ‘yes’ to Jesus today?” the priest said. “Now more than ever, we help each other to face the world today with a living faith.”
“Now more than ever, we help each other to be generous in taking care of the needy,” he added.
In 1935, the Society of the Divine Word built a small chapel for a small farming community in Manga Road where the cathedral now stands.
On July 20, 1950, the Immaculate Conception Parish was canonically erected under the supervision of the Society of the Divine Word until the Archdiocese of Manila took over the administration on April 30, 1990.
On August 28, 2003, it was officially proclaimed as a cathedral under the administration of Bishop Honesto Ongtioco.
